Locket construction



March 5, 1946.

J. TABELLARIO 1 LOCKET CONSTRUCTION Filed De a. 18, 1944 Z INIENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKET CONSTRUCTION James Tabellario, Providence, R. I.

Application December 18, 1944, Serial No. 568,704

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the jewelry art, and has particular reference to an improved construction for a locket.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective construction for a locket, which eliminates the use of separate hinge connections or rolls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box type locket complete with hinge rolls, and made of two stamped pieces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a locket made of a cover portion and a closure portion, the parts being resiliently retained in closed relation after assembly.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully described in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of a locket construction embodying the novel invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-4:: of Fig. 2, showing the resilient engagement of the locking parts;

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the upper or cover portion of the locket; and

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the closure portion of the locket.

It has been found desirable to provide a locket construction which uses only two stamped parts, a cover portion and a closure portion, the cover portion being shaped to provide two spaced integral parallel hinge rolls, the lower or closure portion nesting within the cover portion and provided with outwardly extending ears which engage with the hinge rolls and resiliently main tain the parts in assembled relation. The improved locket is thus manufactured complete with hinge connection, from two readily stamped parts.

In the illustrated embodiment, the locket Ill has two outwardly positioned parallel hinge rolls I I to which parts I2 of a bracelet or chain may be readily attached in the usual manner, it being preferred to stamp the bracelet connecting parts l2 out of ornamental metal with integral hinge pins I3.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the upper or cover portion of the locket includes a cup-shaped element I4 with an upstanding edge I5 which is turned inwardly, as indicated at I6, to provide an annular ornamental head. The stock of the upstanding edge I5 is struck out at the sides to provide two opposed lateral portions II which are rolled upwardly and inwardly to form the hinge ears II, the edge I8 of the hinge ear, as indicated in Fig. 3, being turned downwardly to afiord a resilient seat, for the purposes hereinafter described.

A closure element I9 is formed as illustrated in Fig. 5, with an upstanding edge 20 of the proper size and shape to resiliently nest within the cover element I4, its edge 20 resiliently contacting the inner edge of the bead I6. Two lateral extensions 2| are struck out of the edge 20 and are preferably turned upwardly as indicated at 22, to provide oppositely positioned ears which resiliently contact the inner edges I8 of the hinge rolls I I. When the closure element I9 is snapped into engagement within the cover element I4, a closed locket is formed, with the two parts nesting together and resiliently held in place.

Although the drawing illustrates a locket in the form of a heart, it is obvious that the locket may be of any shape desired, and that the invention may be applied generally to other jewelry items of hollow construction, such as for example identification lockets or the like, and that the material used for the parts, their shape and their arrangement, may be changed to suit the requirements for different designs and styles, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a locket, a cup-shaped cover having an upstanding annular edge, two hinge rolls positioned laterally at the sides of the cover in opposed parallel relation, said rolls being formed from the stock of the annular edge, and a cooperating cup-shaped closure having an upstanding edge and adapted to nest within the cover with its edge in contiguous relation to the edge of the cover, said closure having two opposed. ears extending laterally therefrom and adapted to snap into resilient holding engagement with said opposed hinge rolls,

2. In a locket, a cup-shaped cover having an upstanding annular edge, said edge 'being turned inwardly to provide an annular resilient bead, two hinge rolls positioned laterally at the side of the cover and in opposed parallel relation, said rolls being formed from the stock of the annular edge, and a cooperating cup-shaped closure having an upstanding edge and adapted to seat within the cover with its edge in contiguous relation to the annular bead, said closure having two opposed ears extending laterally therefrom and adapted to snap into resilient holding engagement with said opposed hinge rolls.

JAMES TABELLARIO. 

